


Open Season

by Caradee



Category: X-Men: First Class (2011) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Charles Is a Big Dorkface, Erik is not a Happy Bunny, Everyone is a Werewolf, F/M, Hunting, M/M, Werewolves, Wilderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-20
Updated: 2012-05-20
Packaged: 2017-11-05 17:33:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/409138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caradee/pseuds/Caradee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Story where EVERYONE is a Were and NOTHING makes sense. </p>
<p>Charles is a adorable omega wolf who has no sense for pack dynamics and wanders on his own. Erik is the exhausted Alpha of the pack who is unfortunately smitten with him. Its hunting season, nothing can go wrong. Right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Open Season

**Author's Note:**

> Has no relation to 'Supernatural and the Scientist'. Its just a random story I started in Colorado. Its just fun... I don’t even know. 
> 
> For this story...   
> 1) Alpha / Omega dynamics follow that of actual wolves. At least, I tried- somethings were altered.   
> 2) ' italics ' = wolves talking   
> 3) " talking " = talking as people

  
  
\---  
The snow was just starting to fall in blissfully small flakes across the woods. It seemed harmless, not enough to worry the entire pack over, but it was the beginning of a night storm and as Alpha it was time Erik called it a night.  
  
The deer they had caught was mostly devoured anyway. He had waited as long as he could so none of it would be wasted, though a chorus of whines still erupted from the younger wolves around him. Alex and Sean were still licking their chops and trying to get another mouthful in before Angel nudged them away.  
  
He couldn’t blame them for being over eager though. It was one of their first hunts outside of the usual urban terrain they lived on. The Westchester pack was used to the secluded but small forest in Westchester County, where real meals were slim pickings and the worry of humans was always present.  
  
This time, though, Erik had taken things into his own hands. His pack would be treated to a real hunt in real terrain. When the monthly hunt came around, he arranged for a trip to the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York. The younger wolves had been ecstatic about the trip, and Erik felt a swell of pride at being able to provide for his people so thoroughly.  
  
His position was new, after he had challenged the old leader Shaw and won. Now it was Erik’s turn to mold the small group of Werewolves into the pack he wanted, and what he wanted was young people proud of what they were.  
  
 _‘Everyone head back to the house_ ,’ he barked out, eyeing the dead deer carcass and how Sean had managed to gobble up one last bite.  
  
The wolves padded past him without much argument. Armando led the way home using his keen navigational skills, while Angel marched shoulder to shoulder with Alex and Sean behind the dark-furred wolf. Her own light chestnut coat fit well against Sean’s auburn and Alex’s dusty brown. They could have passed for siblings if their human forms didn’t look so different.  
  
Raven followed behind, her white coat camouflaging her against the snowy backdrop. The only thing that betrayed her was the specks of blood that stood out on her winter coat, and how Hank McCoy was licking tentatively at her mouth to get the stain of red out. For once, though, Erik didn’t see Raven snarl and fidget under the bath. She seemed almost content to let the small omega shower her with adoration.  
  
Emma’s slender shape came up beside him. Like Raven, her form was also an arctic wolf, with thick white coat and ice-blue eyes. She looked untouched by the meal. Erik would have guessed that she skipped out on the messy meat just to keep clean, but the way she licked her lips in satisfaction told him otherwise.  
  
She was Shaw’s Alpha female, and still technically the female leader of the Westchester pack. Werewolves weren’t so much like their animal brethren that Erik had to mate with her to keep up good leadership. He could have his choice of any omega mate, as could Emma. If he took up with another Alpha, though, Were law commanded they rule the pack together.  
  
At first, the she-wolf had tried to consummate their rule in the ways of the law. When it was clear that Erik wasn’t interested in her or any of the other female alphas, she had shrugged and accepted the fact that her position was in no immediate danger.  
  
 _‘Is that everyone?’_ he asked her in a low growl.  
  
Emma nodded. ‘ _Azazel and Janos are up ahead, making sure the path is clear of humans and predators.’_  
  
 _‘Good_ …’ He turned to follow his pack home after a successful and exhausting hunt but Emma stepped forward, maneuvering her body just slightly in front of him. Erik’s eyes narrowed at the white form barring his path.  
  
 _‘There is one straggler though_ … ‘ she said carefully.  
  
Erik’s body heaved in a sigh. He could already guess who the straggler was. ‘ _Where is he?’_  
  
 _‘Last I saw, he was by the treeline, sniffing around in the snow.’_ Emma’s white head tilted towards the trees off in the near-distance. ‘ _Better go get him, lover boy.’_  
  
Eriks steel-colored eyes followed the movement, but he couldn’t see the familiar grey form. Another sigh shuddered through his body as he commanded, ‘ _Go with the pack. I’ll get him.’_  
  
The white wolf blinked at him for a moment, then nodded and turned to catch up with the pack. Tufts of snow kicked up behind her at her speed, and Erik couldn’t help but watch and appreciate the alpha female’s power until she was out of sight.  
  
Shaking his head, he turned away himself and started towards the tree line, where Emma indicated. The snow was still falling in soft flurries, which meant they had time to get back to the cabin. Still, he didn’t want to rely too much on the weather. Conditions in the mountains could change in a breath, especially during the winter seasons.  
  
As he got closer, he slowed down and paid more attention to the lone set of tracks that padded off in one direction, away from the storm of paw prints that littered the ground near their abandoned meal. The snow made it easier to follow the trail towards a clump of trees, and then he finally saw what had been hiding from view before.  
  
He hadn’t been able to see the small grey wolf because he was lying down, body as low against the ground as he could make it. While his back was a dapple of grey markings, his under-belly and face showed the same powdery white as his sister. Erik couldn’t see what the other wolf was pressing his face against and he honestly didn’t care as he called out, ‘ _Charles_ …’  
  
Immediately the wolf’s head perked up and whipped around to face him. His eyes were the same pale blue they were in his human form, a rare sight on a wolf and giving his animal form an unnatural intelligent look. Erik saw the smaller wolf’s tail flop happily against the ground as their eyes met. ‘ _Oh, Erik, what brings you here?’_ a soft British accent rolled over Erik’s mind while the grey wolf pawed at the snow. ‘ _Did you come to see the_ Lepus americanus _? It’s just a small snowshoe hare, but I found its den. It used a thorny plant to block the entrance, I can’t quite figure out what it is, but--’_  
  
 _‘Everyone is leaving, Charles,’_ Erik interrupted. ‘ _We need to get going as well, before the snow gets worse.’_  
  
 _‘Worse?’_ Charles’ ears twitched and he gave the snowy rabbit hole a mournful look before staggering to his feet. He quickly shook the snow off his fur and turned to face the alpha. ‘ _The Weather Channel didn’t say anything about a snowstorm tonight.’_  
  
 _‘Just being cautious,’_ Erik answered gruffly, turning and moving out from the trees. Charles followed him into the open clearing where they had taken down the deer. Already a fox family was circling the carcass, giving the two wolves weary looks.  
  
Charles’ small body brushed against Erik’s bigger one as he said, ‘ _You’re a good alpha, Erik.’_ Then to emphasize the words, he licked tenderly at the bigger wolf’s jowls, and brushed his face against Erik’s.  
  
The larger wolf paused for a moment, unsure of what to say in return. Charles Xavier - bright, eager university professor by day and curious wolf by night - was still a mystery to him. Charles was an omega who seemed to have no concept of pack authority. He wandered on his own, didn’t care for the annual hunts at all, and when they did manage to get him in the wilderness he went on and on about the new plants and wildlife around them. He was more human than wolf, and for all intents and purposes Erik should hate him.  
  
But he didn’t. In fact, he had saved the Were’s life when Shaw decided he’d had too much of Charles’ obtuse behavior. Stepping in and saving Charles’ life was what had led Erik to taking down Shaw and gain his position as alpha. Because of that, he couldn’t hate the omega.  
  
Not to mention that after that incident, Charles had _decided_ the two of them were apparently good friends and carried out casual conversations with the pack leader about plants, animals, and genetics, as if it were a normal thing.  
  
Erik would be lying if he said he didn’t have a soft spot for their conversations.  
  
Because of that, he had fallen in love with the brave Omega who didn’t bow down to Shaw and his insane attitude towards the pack. Of course, Charles couldn’t be his right hand - that was a spot reserved for the Alpha female. Instead he trained the pups, taught them how to hunt and maneuver in their wolf forms. It was a surprisingly good profession for the small wolf, who was one of the quickest members of the pack. Not quite strong enough to be a hunter, but smart enough to know tracking techniques and the different scents of nearly fifty animals.   
  
_‘Did you get enough to eat?’_ he asked the smaller wolf, giving their evening meal one last look as they trotted past.  
  
Charles shook his head, causing small flakes of snow to fall from his fur. ‘ _You know I don’t care much for eating like this. A man has to have lines he’s not willing to cross.’_  
  
Erik tried not to roll his eyes. ‘ _And the chase?’_  
  
 _‘The chase was fun. I think I’m getting out of shape, though_ ,’ Charles huffed and Erik couldn’t help but smile at the thought.  ‘ _It was Hank who took it down, am I right?’_  
  
 _‘Yes_ ,’ Erik said, blinking rapidly as a strong gust of wind blew the snow into his eyes. ‘ _It was a bit of a surprise_.’  
  
 _‘I’m not surprised at all_ ,’ Charles laughed behind him. _‘Hank is an athletic young man. I think he’s just nervous to show it sometimes. Shaw didn’t like it when anyone outdid him.’_  
  
 _‘I can only imagine_ ,’ Erik replied, feeling his jowls pull back into a wolfish grin. ‘ _So after our meal was taken down, you ran off after a hare?’_  
  
 _‘A snow hare, Erik,’_ Charles chided behind him. ‘ _I’ve never smelled one before, and I chased it into its burrow.’_ He sounded incredibly pleased by this, and Erik felt himself smile as well. At least there seemed to be _some_ wolf in Charles.  
  
 _‘Still, Charles, a snow hare dulls in comparison to a full-grown doe.’_ Erik shook his head. ‘ _And you shouldn’t just run off like that. We could have easily left you.’_  
  
Charles didn’t have an immediate response to that. He whined softly in the back of his throat and let his head droop slightly to show his apology. ‘ _I apologize for that.’_  
  
Another strong gust of wind hit them both, and the two wolves closed their eyes to protect from the icy chill. The sun was setting quickly and with it went the day’s warmth. Erik shook his coat free of any lingering snowflakes, and put an extra ounce of effort into their trek. He hoped Charles would do the same to keep up. ‘ _Let’s just concentrate on getting home in one piece,'_ he said. To that, Charles didn’t reply.  
  
They walked in silence for half a mile, then jogged the rest of the way when the dropping temperature bit into them like ice. The snow was still coming down in soft flakes, but it was starting to add a layer covering the earlier snowfall that already littered the ground in the mountains.  
  
It crunched under their paws as they moved, which was the only indication that Charles was still there and hadn’t run off at the smell of some mysterious animal again. Still, Erik couldn’t help but spare a look over his shoulder to make sure Charles was following without any problems. His instincts as leader were hard to control in his wolf form, and when it came to someone he had a personal relationship with it was even harder not to be overbearing.  It was already hard to keep track of his lover when Charles sprinted off after everything that caught his fancy.  
  
After nearly thirty minutes of hiking, the large cabin the pack had rented out came into view. Erik nudged Charles ahead of him to make sure nothing would distract the other wolf. They sprinted towards the main door, where the warm light from inside the cabin beckoned them. Snow licked their heels as they dashed. It was easy for Erik to pass Charles, but the other wolf’s barking laughter followed behind him.  
  
A happy howl erupted from his throat, letting out a puff of visible breath with it. Cold air filled his lungs and urged him forward faster. Charles’ howl echoed after his just as he came up to the front steps and transformed back into his human form.  
  
The familiar pull of muscles as he gained height and lost warmth felt nice, until he was standing naked with the soft brown wood clashing against his pale pink skin. The next gust of wind got a shiver out of him, without his thick winter coat.  
  
Turning around he saw Charles tilt his wolf head before the same transformation took him. They were immune to the shyness of normal people; still, though, when Charles was fully in his human form - short with his neat brown hair blowing in the wind - his arms reached around and hugged his body to contain warmth.  
  
“It’s much colder than I thought,” he said, giving Erik a slim half-smile before he shuffled forward, bare feet moving awkwardly in the snow.  
  
Erik offered a hand and pulled him forward onto the patio with one strong yank. Charles’ smile grew as their skin touched for the briefest of seconds. Erik let go of his hand just as the door opened and Raven peeked her head out. “There you are!” she called, eyes narrowing on Charles as she totally disregarded her pack leader standing next to him.  
  
She stepped out of the doorway, dressed in a wool turtleneck and jeans, and grabbed Charles’ wrist, that Erik had been holding just moments before. “Charles, don’t scare us like that. God, you’re freezing! Get inside.” Her tone left no room for argument, and in typical fashion Charles didn’t put up a fight.  
  
The Professor just beamed at his sister as he said, “I’m sorry, Raven. I smelled a snow hare and found its den. I guess I got a little distracted.”  
  
“A snow hare?” Raven laughed and shook her head, giving Erik an exasperated look before pushing her brother through the wooden door. “Oh, Charles…”  
  
\---  
  
The next morning the children all shifted into their wolf forms at the first sight of the fresh snow fall. The older wolves stood on the porch and watched the pups pounce and stalk among the white fluff. Emma stayed stubbornly inside, curled up in her expensive coat with a warm mug in hand the last time Erik saw her.  
  
Janos and Azazel were smirking as they stood next to Erik, all huddled in their own winter gear while they looked on. Charles had been the only adult to transform. As always, he saw the children’s enthusiasm as a chance to teach.  
  
Without shifting, Erik couldn’t hear the discussion the grey and white wolf was leading. But a small circle had gathered around Charles’ slim form for a moment, before one of the pups - Alex - reeled back and sprinted off towards the trees. A second after that, Sean’s wolf form bounded off after him. The second wolf was fast - he easily caught up to Alex and tackled him to ground.  
  
Janos made an impressed sound as they watched Alex scramble under Sean’s weight. Charles made a loud yipping noise, which Alex returned as he squirmed from side to side. The pup wiggled so fiercely that finally Sean didn’t know which way to apply his weight to keep the other wolf pinned. Alex broke free and jumped up, letting out a howl of victory as he did so. The other pups howled in unison.  
  
Next Angel went bounding away with Darwin chasing her, then Alex chased Darwin, and Hank chased Raven.  
  
Before Erik took over the pack, Shaw had been adamant about every member being a fighter. He saw the wolves as something he could _use_ rather than lead. Training the pups had started at Shaw’s request, but Charles had headed it and always maintained teaching methods that were more accustomed to packs. Using simple chasing games and small creatures to hone the children’s hunting skills.  
  
In his human form, Charles was a kind teacher: patient, sweet, and enthusiastic. Those skills carried over well as a wolf teacher. The children always ran to do his bidding, and always improved. It was easy to see why the younger generation was so fiercely protective of him.  
  
“Teaches them how to hunt, and he can’t even do it himself,” Azazel said in a huff beside Erik.  
  
“Clearly he knows what hes’ doing,” Erik said, before he even realized he was sticking up for the other wolf. “I think Charles just decides not to.”  
  
Janos snorted. “What kind of wolf is he?”  
  
At that moment, it became Sean’s turn to run as the auburn wolf took off to be chased. Charles’ small form darted after him, starting with a slow sprint before quickly picking up speed. The grey wolf darted from side to side, closing in on the left. Sean caught sight of him and began to redirect right when Charles anticipated his move and  caught him off. He wasn’t the fastest in the pack, but he was definitely the smartest - his take down was clean and precise.  
  
Immediately Sean began to struggle, but Charles was also agile as he moved with the scrambling wolf and quickly put an end to the play by nipping at Sean’s ear. The young wolf yelped and the victorious grey let out triumphant cries.  
  
A smile tugged at Erik’s lips while Janos scowled. “Not a half-bad one if you give him a chance.”  
  
\---  
  
Erik joined the Westchester pack three months before he took down Shaw. Before he did so apparently it was just Shaw and Emma running the show, taking in orphaned or lone Werewolves to join their pack. That explained why none of the children had much training with their kind.  
  
Shaw preferred them young and stupid, but he also needed muscle. So he collected Janos and Azazel together just before Erik arrived. Then there was Charles, proving that their pack leader didn’t always crave young blood. Charles was roughly Erik’s age - maybe a few years younger - when he met Shaw. Later, when he and Erik had developed a closer relationship, he explained that his father had been a Were but had died, then his mother chased him away, and it had been pure luck that he found Raven, and later Shaw’s pack.  
  
The fact that no one had taught Charles pack etiquette explained his absurd manners towards Alphas and towards the hunt.  
  
Shaw treated Charles and the omegas like second-rate citizens anyway. Erik was happy the day he ripped open the other man’s jugular with his jaws.  
  
\---  
  
There was one more day of the hunt. After that they would all pile into their cars and return to the city, going on with their daily lives as mere humans, with jobs and friends and human obligations to fill. It was not really a pleasant thought, so Erik planned on starting the hunt early to give the younger wolves plenty of time to run around and exhaust their instincts.  
  
Last day of the hunt meant another thing: Last day for mating. He could already see that Hank was mustering up the courage to be with Raven. The pup was practically shaking in excitement and intimidation. If Raven knew, she was playing naivety off very well.  
  
Despite the training they had done earlier in the day, the younger members of the pack were still abuzz with energy. Erik remembered his own youth fondly, and the limitless amount of energy he seemed to carry with him at the time.  
  
There were two hours before sundown, which gave them plenty of time to get a good, exhausting hunt in. Erik let out the beginning howl, as was tradition, and a shiver rippled through him as he heard the rest of his pack follow suit.  
  
Then they ran.  
  
The fun of hunting lay in the assault of smells on their nostrils: each one intensely new and flying by without time to process what it could be before a new scent took its place. Only a few smells would make them stop dead in their tracks - blood and fur. In the meantime, though, their bodies wove between trees and ducked under narrow branches. They followed the lay of the wild land blindly, taking in the beauty with their human minds but following instinct with their bodies.  
  
The hunt lasted as long as they wanted it to, usually. If they caught a scent, the pack could take its time in playing with the food before finally taking it down and enjoying the meal. Erik usually allowed them a little fun. Azazel and Janos in particular enjoyed a drawn-out chase.  
  
They were fifteen minutes into the hunt when Hank howled at his first sniff of a turkey, and the entire pack shifted in one well-orchestrated movement to follow his lead. Erik moved to the head of the pack, just barely able to keep up with the younger wolf, whose speed was as powerful and surprising as Charles had said. He could still see the awkwardness Hank had hidden behind for years in the pup’s movements, but it was clear he was becoming more comfortable with his hunting abilities.  
  
Slowly they spread out amongst the trees, the habitual cliques showing themselves in the pack with Angel hugging close to Darwin while Sean and Alex tagged along in the back. The older wolves gave wide berth between themselves and the younger members. Azazel and Janos  ran close on Emma’s heels as she kept close proximity to Erik.  
  
He looked around to take in their family in full scope and caught sight of Charles and Raven near the pups. Charles was barking instructions as they ran along, and the wolves obliged him. It was a telling sight indeed, something Erik couldn’t tear his eyes away from until Hank suddenly skidded to a stop.  
  
Erik nearly ran into him but managed to stop in time, an annoyed snarl already leaving his jaws. ‘ _What’s the problem?’_  
  
‘I _smell something…_ ‘Hank stuttered, offering Erik a wide-eyed look of apology and fear.  
  
He snorted then sniffed the ground looking for the odor the other wolf mentioned. Indeed, a thick heavy smell settled through his nostrils, reeking of piss and fish. Erik growled as he tried to place the scent. Emma pawed the ground in irritation beside him, which wasn’t helping matters.    
  
A second pair of paws trotted up to them, and a grey muzzle joined the group next to Erik as it sniffed the ground. He glanced up and caught Charles’ startling blue eyes looking back at him. They both pulled back at the same time, Erik’s gaze stern while the other wolf gave him the equivalent of an apologetic smile.  
  
 _‘It’s a bear_ ,’ Charles confidently stated. ‘ _A grizzly, I think, but I can’t be sure_.’  
  
Erik’s eyes narrowed on him. ‘ _But you’re sure it’s a bear.’_  
  
Charles nodded. ‘ _Oh yes, I’ve smelled bears before.’_  
  
 _‘Is it fresh?’_ Emma asked, making a point of looking directly at Erik.  
  
He nodded grimly. ‘ _Yes, it’s probably still in the area. We should go in a different direction.’_  
  
 _‘What!’_ The outcry came from a number of the younger members, their ears and tails drooping.  
  
 _‘What’s one bear compared to a pack of Werewolves?’_ Alex scoffed, throwing his head from one to another as he snapped irritably.  
  
Erik snarled at him in warning, and immediately the sandy-colored wolf back down. ‘ _Bears are not easy to take down, whether we’re humans or wolves,’_ he stated firmly. ‘ _We’ll go in the opposite direction and stay out of its way.’_  
  
 _‘Erik is right,’_ Charles chided softly, easing the hurt pride of the younger Were. ‘ _We may be stronger than the average wolf, but a grizzly bear is nothing to laugh at.’_  
  
 _‘But the turkey went this way_ ,’ Hank said sadly, looking towards the woods where the first scent led. ‘ _And we’re close, I know it.’_  
  
 _‘Do not argue with your Alpha’s decision, pup_ ,’ Azazel said from where he lingered by the tree line, voice low but booming.  
  
Hank quieted at the curt response and back tracked to Ravens side. Charles whined in a quiet apology, ‘ _Poor boy.’_  
  
 _‘We’ll make it up to him when we catch dinner_ ,’ Erik growled to him as he turned in the opposite direction. ‘ _Now let’s get going, before it gets too late_.’  
  
They ran for a solid hour, sniffing every available brush and tree. Sean found a squirrel scent, but there was no way they could reach the creature, and it would make terrible game. All other animal scents were too faded or something they could not eat. Erik smelled other wolves nearby, all on the hunt for their own meal. They switched directions again after that, but there was still no sign of food.  
  
When the younger wolves complained that their paws were sore and the sound of their growling stomachs bounced off the trees, Erik called for them to return home.  
  
Exhaustion and hunger served as a light distraction from the disappointment of a failed hunt. The other days’ success had made the children giddy and optimistic. When they hunted on the old land, there was hardly any game to eat and it was all about stretching limbs and running.  
  
Still, Alex chewed angrily on a piece of bark before Janos snapped at him to stop, and Hank trailed behind while Charles and Raven soothed his cracked confidence. Erik led the way home, trotting at a brisk speed so they could return to the warmth of the cabin quickly, where everyone could make stew or microwave meals. It would be a dull meal in comparison to the would be turkey, but it would do.  
  
The trek back took nearly another hour, and Erik stepped aside to watch his pack gallop towards the cabin when it finally came into view. Silently he counted to make sure everyone was present. The pups ran past him first, then Janos followed after them, grumbling quietly about the nice sight of the house. Azazel laughed behind him.  
  
Then Emma brushed against his side, her hips bumping lightly against Erik’s own before he stepped to the side and looked back.  
  
Just the two of them were left, and his eyes narrowed as he realized three members of his pack were unaccounted for. ‘ _Where are the Xaviers and McCoy?’_  
  
 _‘Charles said something about a hare,’_ Emma sighed. ‘ _I think he went off to go get it for the pups. The other two followed him.’_  
  
Erik’s hackles were up in an instant as he stared at the alpha female. He took a step towards her, and involuntarily she took one slow step back. ‘ _They what? And you let them without alerting me?’_ He snapped his jaws angrily at the air. ‘ _How long ago was that?’_  
  
 _‘Four miles back.’_ She sounded unapologetic.  
  
He hissed, ‘ _Dammit, Emma… I need to_ know _these things.’_  
  
 _‘And now you know.’_ She blinked her ice blue eyes at him, challenging. He growled back but her expression didn’t change. ‘ _They’re together at least, it’s better than when Charles usually runs off on his own.’_  
  
 _‘I’m going after them,’_ Erik growled, looking towards the cabin then back the way they had come. It would be a long trek but he had to do it. For Charles.  
  
Emma’s eyes narrowed in careful scrutination as she asked, ‘ _Why?’_ Even though she claimed her loyalty to him, even though Erik knew she disagreed with Shaw on many things when they had been mates, he also knew that Emma still clung to some of the ideas Shaw held. The traditions of old.  
  
The traditions that say if an omega willingly leaves the pack, then they are nothing.  
  
Erik held her gaze. ‘ _Because they are part of this pack, and we don’t leave our members behind.’_  
  
\---  
  
Erik felt a flash of agitation at the sight of Charles huddled near the same damn bush as the other day. ‘ _Charles…’_ His growl was a warning, but it was also the most stern he had ever used with the other wolf.  
  
He saw the grey’s back tense before Charles slowly stepped out. ‘ _Ah, Erik… this is embarrassing, meeting like this again. Afraid the snow hare is still dodging me.’_  
  
 _‘Why did you run off on your own?’_ asked the alpha as he stepped forward. ‘ _Do you want to be killed?’_ He looked around. ‘ _And where are Raven and Hank?’_  
  
 _‘I think they only came with me to get a little alone time,’_ Charles answered without any shame. For once Erik wanted to nip at him irritably to teach him a lesson. He was the alpha after all, and he could only handle so much disobedience before it rubbed him the wrong way.  But then again, this was Charles.  
  
In front of him, the grey wolf tilted his head in confusion. ‘ _And “killed” - really? I think I could at least run away from a fight if one presented itself.’_  
  
 _‘A bear came this way, remember? You were the one who told the pups how dangerous they are,’_ Erik scolded.  
  
The wolf shrugged his head. ‘ _I just wanted to catch the snow hare for the pups. They seemed so disappointed not to have caught anything.’_  
  
His blue eyes were pleading, and Erik could see that Charles was trying to widen them to look even more pathetic. He snorted, still feeling his irritation beneath his skin. ‘ _And what did you plan to do with the snow hare once you caught it?’_  
  
 _‘Well, I wasn’t going to kill it,’_ Charles said, perking instantly. ‘ _I would have brought it back and let the children chase it.’_  
  
Erik growled, but took another step forward. ‘ _Alright, let me see this den. Maybe I’ll have better luck than you.’_  
  
Charles hopped back, his eyes alight with interest as he said, ‘ _Be my guest.’_  
  
If Erik still weren’t reeling with irritation, he might have found the other wolf’s enthusiasm endearing. A part of him definitely reacted to the fact that Charles had gone the extra mile for the others members of their packs. Omegas rarely put forth such effort, usually content with just being followers. Charles had the leadership and caring attitude that exemplified an alpha. Sometimes.  
  
Getting down on his belly, Erik pawed earnestly at the opening of the den. Closer than he had been earlier, the smell of rabbit assaulted his sensitive nose. The snow hare had a slightly different scent than the standard rabbit. There was more dirt in its smell, mingling with the snow that clung to its body and giving off the odor of dirty water.  
  
He reached out and pawed at the top of the hole, only to make some snow cave in at his touch. Growling, Erik moved to shift the snow out of the way and managed to open the hole wider despite the fact that snow kept falling in.  
  
Behind him Charles chided softly, ‘ _Erik, you’re ruining its den.’_  
  
 _‘It’s not like he’ll be using it for much longer’,_ the alpha snapped back.  
  
 _‘Oh!’_ Charles’ surprised voice echoed behind him, and then Erik heard the shuffling sound of paws against snow. He glanced up to see the grey wolf had moved to stand just past him. _‘Keep doing that, Erik.’_  
  
 _‘I was going to_ ,’ he replied, returning to the task at hand and digging more fiercely. The den opened up more, but snow kept piling in. He snarled in annoyance and dug farther.  
  
Suddenly Charles’ body tensed before the smaller wolf shouted, ‘ _There!,’_ and he darted off. Erik barely had enough time to look up and catch sight of the omega darting after a blurry movement of white.  
  
He licked his snout to rub off the snow that clung to the fur, taking in Charles’ cleverness. Charles was fast and he fully expected the grey wolf to come trotting back in a moment, a wide-eyed hare in his mouth. But when the minutes started to tick by, leaving Erik alone with just the sounds of the forest surrounding him, he grew worried.  
  
Ears perked forward, he strained to hear Charles’ approach. All that filled his drums was the occasional cry of a bird high in the tree branches.  
  
Suddenly a yelp rang throughout the forest. Erik was on his feet in an instant and racing into the woods where the cry had come from. It was Charles, there was no mistaking it. His heart picked up speed to keep pace with the rest of his senses as he followed the other wolf’s scent. Erik ran on pure instinct as his body ducked and dodged past trees, vaguely aware of the paw prints he was following and the second startled yelp that came not far ahead.  
  
A moment after, he smelled it - the smell of bear. Erik had no time to think about what it might mean before he saw the giant brown form looming in a small clearing.  
  
His eyes darted around wildly before they spotted Charles lying on the ground nearby, baring his teeth as best as he could and trying to look fierce.  
  
Erik let out a howl as he entered the clearing, to declare his presence to the other two animals and to draw attention away from his pack mate.  
  
Charles’ head snapped his way at exactly the same time the bear’s did. ‘ _Erik!’_  
  
The alpha stood his ground and snapped angrily at the air, showing his large canines and raising his hackles in warning. The bear did the same, opening its mouth in a wide roar as it stepped forward.  
  
 _‘Charles, get up and run, I’ll distract him,’_ Erik snapped, his eyes not leaving the beast in front of him.  
  
The grey body shivered against the snow and staggered to his feet. Erik noticed a significant slump in Charles posture and how he lifted one of his front paws in an injured fashion.  
  
To Erik’s irritation, Charles stood his ground. ‘ _I’m not leaving you.’_  
  
 _‘Stupid_ ,’ Erik snapped just as bear let out another roar and took one more step.  
  
Charles tensed. ‘ _Erik, you can’t beat it in a fight. You’ll have to back away slowly - that’s our best bet of getting away.’_  
  
Every alpha instinct in Erik’s body hated the suggestion. A fight was unfolding in front of him, a member of his pack was injured, and he refused to back away.  
  
To his surprise, Charles let out a fierce growl of his own. ‘ _Erik, listen to me!’_  
  
The order was like an electric charge fizzling through his nerves. Erik’s attention moved to the other wolf, and he saw that Charles had carefully slunk further back into the covers of the trees while he had been occupied with the bear.  
  
Charles’ growl also drew the bear’s attention back to the grey wolf, making it turn and stumble in his direction. Now the omega’s plan became clear to the alpha. It was a simple two-against-one. The bear couldn’t keep its attention on both of them, which gave them the perfect opportunity to sneak away.  
  
Erik took a couple cautious steps back while Charles held up a growling contest with the bear. Then he let out a ferocious bark and drew the bear’s eyes back towards him. Charles’ bright blue eyes tracked his movements, and as soon as the bear took a single step forward, the small wolf let out another harsh howl.  
  
The bear looked back, and Charles danced farther into the cover of the trees. This time the bear noticed and when it looked back Erik performed the same maneuver, hitting a branch loudly on purpose to bring the beast’s attention back to him.  
  
Slowly the distance widened between them and the bear, until it was safe enough for them to make a run for it. Erik let out a howl that signaled it was time to make their escape and Charles answered from somewhere deep under cover. His howl said, ‘ _Meet you at the house!’_  
  
Satisfied with that, Erik turned on his heel and darted away. The bear yowled behind him in agitation, but there was no resounding noise of its pursuit. Erik kicked up snow as he returned to the spot where he had found Charles. Once there, he was slightly taken aback when he saw Raven and Hank’s contrasting coats standing out amongst the trees. Both wolves looked anxious as he approached. Erik could smell the stench of sex hanging over them. He ignored it as Raven stepped forward, her eyes wide with worry.  
  
 _‘What’s going on?’_ she asked. ‘ _We left Charles here, and now he’s gone.’_  
  
 _‘He’s heading back to the house. We ran into a bear,’_ Erik answered.  
  
Hank’s ears flattened against his head. ‘ _A bear?’_  
  
 _‘Are you guys alright?’_ Raven asked.  
  
 _‘I think Charles might be bruised, but he was well enough to run.’_ There was no relief in his voice as he gave them both a steely glare. ‘ _When we get home, though, we are going to talk about this running off that you siblings seem to enjoy so much.’_  
  
Raven’s head dipped low at the threat, but she murmured a low, ‘ _Understood_ ,’and Hank brushed his head down against hers as well.  
  
Erik tossed his head towards the path home, and the two seemed to get the meaning. ‘ _We should hurry back. There’s a chance we’ll run into Charles on the way.’_  
  
He led the way home, keeping up a brisk speed that Hank and Raven had no problem following. The entire way home Erik kept his eyes trained against the woods, looking for a familiar flash of grey.   
  
But there was nothing.  
  
Erik pushed himself faster, indifferent to the snow embedding itself in his paws or the icy air filling his lungs. The cabin popped into the distant view, and before it he could see a crowd of people huddled together. One of which was hunched over, and smaller than the rest.  
  
At their approach, a few heads turned. Azazel and Emma broke away from the crowd to approach them while Darwin and Sean led Charles inside. Now that he was closer, Erik could see the limp in the Professors step and how he hugged his ribs protectively while he walked. The urge to follow him propelled Erik to a quick shift back to human form, but Emma blocked his way before he could make another move. Her arms were crossed firmly over her chest.  
  
“What happened?” she demanded, voice holding a no-nonsense tone.  
  
Erik glared at her. “Don’t talk to me like that, Emma,” he said tensely. “None of this would have happened if you had told me when they were breaking away.”  
  
Her eyes narrowed, but she offered no rebuttal. Erik cherished the silence as a victory before a naked Raven brushed against him. “How’s Charles?”  
  
Emma’s eyes seemed to take her in with a perverse interest as she said, “Well, look at you…” Her ice-colored eyes moved expectantly between Raven and Hank. “He’s inside, close to the fire. Could barely keep moving down the last hill.”  
  
Erik gritted his teeth. “Is it bad?”  
  
“I don’t know the full details,” Emma replied while Raven’s face shifted from shock to sudden guilt.  
  
The younger Were shook her head in clear irritation. “I’m going inside.”  
  
“I’ll go with you,” Hank murmured from behind as he followed Raven into the house.  
  
As soon as the two of them disappeared into the house, all of Erik’s attention went to the blonde woman in front of him. Emma raised her brows in question. “What?”  
  
“All of this could have been avoided if you had just told me when they disappeared,” he snapped, voice a low rumble like thunder before he stormed past her.  
  
Emma followed on his heels. “Please, if you’re going to play the blame game then blame yourself for always encouraging his behavior and never putting him in his place.”  
  
“Shaw put people in their place,” Erik replied, “and I am not like him.”  
  
“Maybe you should be.” Emma tilted her head. “He at least had this pack under control.”  
  
The Alpha smashed his lips into a grim line. “Say that again, and you will no longer be apart of this pack.”   
  
Emma’s eyes glittered - amused, Erik realized, with a stab of hatred. He felt the eyes of the other pack members watching them intently. Azazel had stepped forward as if anticipating a fight and the children who still stood outside watched with wide eyes.  
  
Finally Erik snorted. “I’m not such a pushover that I won’t take your position away from you, Emma. Remember that we have others who can fill your shoes just as well and Shaw isn’t here to protect you anymore.”  
  
It was the anger talking, because she had a point. If he treated Charles like the rest of the pack, the omega wouldn’t put himself in those dangerous situations all the time. He wouldn’t be so careless as to break formation and go off on his own, or form his own ideas on the spot.  
  
He’d be just another omega, following orders.  
  
And then he wouldn’t be Charles.  
  
  
Emma’s eyes narrowed at Erik’s threat, mouth turning downward in a puckered frown. The sight was satisfying, and Erik knew she had finally gotten the message before he turned and stalked into the cabin.  
  
Inside, it was leagues warmer. A fire crackled in the corner where all the dining room chairs had been pushed next to the couches, making a perfect circle around the flames. He could see a figure slouched on the plush green couch, the back of Charles’ head a recognizable mess of chocolate brown hair.  
  
Raven lingered near her brother’s side, muttering softly, “You’re hurt, how do you always manage to do this, Charles?”  
  
“I don’t always manage to do this,” Charles replied softly. His voice had a bit of strain to it that Erik’s sensitive ears picked up on.  
  
Raven sighed, “I shouldn’t have left you.”  
  
“It’s the last night of the hunt,” Charles said, tilting his head both ways to look between his sister and Hank. Erik could hear the soft smile as he said, “I hope you two enjoyed it.”  
  
Hank and Raven looked at each other, bashful smiles on their faces before they nodded. Erik took this as his cue to approach. Raven turned to look at him at his first step forward and looked conflicted for a brief moment before she decided it was her place to leave. She stood and gently grabbed her mate by the elbow. “Come on Hank, I think Charles has someone else who wants to talk to him.”  
  
Hank’s dark eyes glanced back at Erik and widened. A quiet, “Oh,” passed through his lips as Raven pushed him away. They disappeared up the nearby stairway leading to the rooms.  
  
On the couch, Charles shifted to turn around. The fire’s soft glow showed his face scrunched in some unseen pain as his eyes fell on Erik. “Uh oh,” he said with a small smile. “Am I in trouble?”  
  
“I’d say,” Erik said gruffly, coming over and filling the spot on the couch that Raven had occupied. Charles’ bright blue eyes followed him until he finally settled, and then the smaller man nestled back into the cushions. He was engulfed in a large sweater and wearing loose sweatpants. His skin was getting more color back into it, but he still looked unsettlingly pale from the cold and his injury.  
  
Charles at least looked apologetic as he said, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gone off on my own.”  
  
“Not just once but twice,” Erik corrected with a shake of his head, and took a deep breath. Yelling would get him nowhere with the other Were - he would have to keep a level head. “You should have at least told me you wanted to chase the hare out of the burrow. I would have told you right off the bat that it was a stupid idea in bear territory.”  
  
Charles’ brows arched, “Would you?”  
  
“Yes,” he growled. “I don’t understand your incisive need to… go against everything.” His growl died into a harsh sigh as Erik ran his hands through his hair, frustrated. “I’m not Shaw, you don’t have to prove to me that you’re a capable omega.”  
  
Charles actually looked stricken by his words. “I know,” he said, sounding a bit breathless. “I know you’re not Shaw. But, it’s because of that that I feel we don’t need to cling to such old traditions.”  
  
“Telling your alpha where you’re going before running off is not a tradition, it’s caution,” Erik said, again with a harsh tone to his voice.  
  
The other man nodded solemnly. “I understand. I just wanted to make the last day of the hunt a good one for the children.” Charles lowered his gaze. “That’s all I was thinking about, really.”  
  
Erik’s mouth was still drawn taut into a displeased look, but his eyes turned away from Charles to look into the flames of the fire. “How badly are you hurt?” he asked, looking for a new direction for their conversation.  
  
Charles was quiet for a long moment, long enough for them both to hear the backdoor of the cabin open and a few heavy footsteps stomping in. At least the rest of the pack knew to give them their space, Erik thought as the voices carried up the stairs and away from the living room where they sat.  
  
“He got me by surprise and pushed me into a tree. My chest is bruised, but Hank said nothing is broken.”  
  
“And your hand?” Erik’s eyes tore away from the fireplace and eyed the hand he had seen Charles limping on as a wolf.  
  
The smaller man looked sheepish. “Sprained wrist. It could have been a lot worse.”  
  
“Yes, it could have.”  
  
There was a cool pack of ice on top of Charles’ wrist. Erik reached out and gently lifted it to see the swollen red skin. Charles winced at the contact but said nothing. It would need to be secured in a wrap, but it would be okay. Satisfied, the alpha replaced the ice pack and leaned forward.  
  
Charles moved forward to meet him and their lips grazed softly against one another’s. Tentative at first, and then with more confidence as Erik tilted his head and opened the other Were’s mouth wider. Charles moaned into his mouth, a sound that struck every nerve in Erik’s body and sent a seeping warmth down to his cock.  
  
Ah yes, there was still one more day of mating left. But Charles wasn’t anywhere near ready, he was still shivering from the cold outside and from the ice pack on his wrist. Doing anything reckless would mean possibly harming the omega more.  
  
Erik groaned in frustration at the thought, and suddenly Charles pulled back. The lines of his boyish face caught the light from the fire, making him look much older and much more doe-eyed. He caught his flushed bottom lip between his teeth and looked guilty. “I’m sorry,” Charles said while Erik was still taking in his beauty. “I know you wanted to….” he shrugged his shoulders as if that implied all the dirty things that Erik wanted to do to him, “and I’ve gone and ruined it.”  
  
“There’s always the next hunt,” Erik said, trying to sound nonplussed, but his voice was raw with a sudden brush of need that hit him. He was so close - one last night of the hunt, with Charles in front of him - and he was going to let it slide.  
  
Charles smiled at him, a brilliant flash of white teeth. “This is why,” he said, “why you’re so different from Shaw.”  
  
“Why, because I let myself get walked all over by an omega who isn’t even my mate yet?” Erik smiled despite his sarcasm. The idea of it was funny, the truth was even funnier.  
  
The man in front of him laughed, “Well that, but there’s also the fact that you’re considerate, brave, and you take care of the members of your pack.” Charles moved forward again, and Erik was about to snap at him not to move too much when he turned and maneuvered his body to fall easily against Erik’s chest.  
  
Charles’ skin was still much too cold; Erik swallowed his earlier remarks and quickly wrapped his arms around the brunet. “Everyone loves you,” Charles stated with a smile. “I love you.”  
  
“I don’t think everyone loves me. Emma is definitely not a fan at the moment.”  
  
Charles head rested against his shoulder with a quiet thunk. “Give her time. She’s nervous that her position will be compromised soon. Raven’s growing up and during the next hunt you and I will mate.”  
  
“If she keeps up her attitude, I will kick her out,” Erik grumbled, feeling all the blame for the evening’s events trailing back to her.  
  
The body next to him hummed before curling up closer. Charles was careful with his injured hand as he shifted. “Well talk about it later, love,” he said softly, voice heavy with sleep. “It won’t matter until the next gathering.”  
  
“Speaking of which,” Erik said, turning his head to brush his lips against the soft crown of Charles hair, “what do you say for the next hunt we go alone? Just the two of us - that way you won’t be so distracted with the pups.”  
  
“Erik!” Charles choked on a laugh. “We can’t!”  
  
Erik smiled.. “Really, that’s the only protest you’re going to put up? That was easy.”  
  
“You’re the alpha. You have to be present for the hunt.”  
  
He rolled his eyes, not that Charles could see it. “Oh, _now_ you listen to pack laws.”  
  
The other Were snorted at the sarcasm. “We can’t,” repeated Charles. “But if you’d like, I’ll have a word with pups and make sure they stay out of our hair for an evening. You just have to handle everyone else.”  
  
“Deal,” Erik said without hesitation, a smile fixed on his face as he considered where they would go for the next hunt. It was nearly three months away, but that gave him plenty of time to come up with a place where Charles would enjoy the new animals, and that Emma would absolutely despise.


End file.
